Training Exercises:

Excerpted from Running for Mortals

Push Up

Target Muscles:

Chest, Arms and Core

How To:

If you are new to strength start on your hands and knees. Position your hands a little farther than shoulder width apart so when your arm is bent 90 degrees the elbow is over the wrist. Keeping your core tight, push your body up and off the floor until the arms are extended, pause and slowly lower your body back down to just a little off the floor and repeat.

Progression:

To make the exercise more challenging perform the push up on your hands and toes. Even harder, lift one foot off the floor.

Coach's Tips:

If you struggle with this exercise, try lowering your body back to the floor for a brief rest in between push ups.

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Standing Row + Squat

Target Muscles:

Back, Arms, Core, Inner and Front of Thighs

How To:

Stand with your feet a little farther than shoulder width apart and toes pointed toward the corner of the room. Bend your knees 90 degrees and hold the position. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and pull back bringing your elbows toward your hips. Pause and return to starting position. Repeat.

Progression:

To make the exercise more challenging use a thicker tube and squat every time and you pull.

Coach's Tips:

Prior to pulling, squeeze your shoulder blades together, then pull using your back muscles. Keep your torso tall legs bent and core tight.

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Shoulder Raise

Target Muscles:

Shoulder stabilizers, Upper Back

How To:

Lie prone over the top of a ball so your back is flat and your chest is off the ball. Pull your shoulder blades into the center of your back (spine) moving your your arms to the sides and thumbs up and pointing to the ceiling.

Progression:

To make the exercise more challenging add light dumbbells.

Coach's Tips:

Keep your head in line with your body and focus on squeezing your shoulder blades together.

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Squat with Medicine Ball Front Shoulder Raise

Target muscles:

Front and back of thigh, buttocks, inner thigh, shoulders

How to:

Stand with your feet hip width apart and hold a heavy 3-5 pound medicine or heavy ball [you can also use dumbells]. Bend through your knees to 90 degrees and through your hips like you are sitting "back" on a chair until your thighs are parallel to the floor and your knees are over your ankles (not toes). Pause for a moment, and press through your heels and extend your legs.

Progression:

To make the exercise more challenging stand on an unstable object like a Bosu Ball, half foam roll or disk.

Coach's Tips:

Keep your head in line with your body and focus on squeezing your shoulder blades together.

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Single Leg - Running Arm Curl

Target muscles:

Lower leg, foot and hip stabilizers, biceps

How to:

Stand on one foot and dumbbells in each hand. Start with your hands at your side with your knuckles toward the ground. Lift your right arm up and rotate so your knuckles are up toward the ceiling. Keep the opposite arm down at your side. Alternate lifting the left arm while lowering the right. Repeat keeping your torso tall – avoid leaning forward and moving your torso to move the weight.

Progression:

To make the exercise more challenging lift both arms at the same time or stand on an unstable object like a Bosu Ball, half foam roll or pad.

Coach's Tips:

This is a great exercise to develop arm strength, balance and improve the strength of your stabilizing muscles.

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Tricep Extension on Ball

Target muscles:

Buttocks, Core, Triceps

How to:

Sit on the ball with hand weights in each hand. Roll on the ball so your head, neck and shoulders are supported on the ball and your body looks like a “table”, flat with your feet hip width apart. Focus on keeping your core activated [suck your naval into your spine]. While holding this position with your lower body and core on the ball, raise your arms straight up and over your shoulders. Keeping your upper arm stable, lower the weights down until your arm is at 90 degrees bend and raise back up. Keep the upper arm straight up from your shoulder and lower slowly.

Progression:

To make the exercise more challenging use a heavier weight, slow and pause at the bend, and keep your feet closer together.

Coach's Tips:

If this is too challenging on the ball, start on a stable surface like a bench and progress to using the ball.

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Exercises excerpted from the book
"Running for Mortals"

Bringing the joy of running to everyone

Jenny Hadfield teams up with husband and coauthor John "The Penguin" Bingham to lay out strategies for novice runners that will help them safely and effortlessly integrate their new sport into their busy schedules.

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